Beer Cheaper Than Water and Cola

Supermarkets in Britain are selling beer at a cheaper price than water, fuelling concern over their role in Britain's binge-drinking crisis.

Despite repeated public health warnings, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda now offer lager at just 22p a can - less per litre than their ownbrand-mineral water and cola, and cheap enough to allow someone to get drunk for just £1.

This means that all three supermarkets are now selling cut-price lager, with an alcohol content of between two and three per cent, at 50p a litre - or just over 28p a pint.

By contrast, bottles of own-brand mineral water cost between 56p and 92p a litre, depending on the store.

Furthermore, a six-pack of 330ml cans of own brand cola costs just between £1.11 and £1.29, or 56p to 65p a litre.